Nature Always Knocks Twice
by flaymzofice
Summary: Challenge response. One shot. VERSION 2


**A/N: Challenge response as posted by Dazedizzy.**

**Said challenge:** This was from my Creative Writing teacher in high school, who tried to remind me that "Show, don't tell" didn't mean "Never tell." He gave me this exercise specifically to beak me against the technique. He called it "Tell by Showing". I have three pre-Socratic quotations. Write a story, drabble, or poem using one of them (or all of them) as an epigraph:

a. Nature likes to hide itself. --_Heraclitus_

b. Dark and light, bad and good, are not different but one and the same. --_Heraclitus_

c. Worlds are altered rather than destroyed. --_Democritus_

**Reviews welcome!**

**Nature Always Knocks Twice**

**Nature likes to hide itself**

–**_Heraclitus_**

"What's their deal?" Sam asked, tossing her head in the direction of where Max and Logan were talking, albeit in a somewhat awkward manner.

Alec afford them a momentary glance.

"Oh those two?" he pulled a face accompanied by a dismissive shrug as he returned his attention to the cleaning of the gun in his hands.

"Little gift from good ole Manticore."

Sam cocked an expectant eyebrow at him.

Alec shook his head slightly.

"Genetically engineered retro virus about sums it up," he offered.

Sam nodded slowly in understanding, her expression not showing any signs of either sympathy or contempt. Or much emotion at all for that matter.

"You and her seem pretty close," she stated abruptly.

Alec looked up quickly.

"Oh yeah, she's with me," he replied carelessly.

"Wow, big sis is a little hussy," Sam drawled but her tone lacked any of the amusement that came with the comment.

Alec threw her a somewhat warning glance.

"Don't tell me, it's not like that," was the pre-emptive response from the brunette.

She watched as her twin walked away from the bespectacled Ordinary. Why anyone would choose any Ordinary when they could have 494 was beyond her.

Alec laughed lightly.

"It's not like that."

"Tch," came the dismissive sound, "it never is with her."

Alec stopped cleaning and considered Sam with his full attention.

"Why do you always give her such a hard time?"

"'Scuse me?"

"We're just as bad as she is," Alec reminded her.

"Don't give me that bullshit," Sam told him shortly, shaking her head defiantly.

"Is it bullshit?"

"Look, if you wanna spin your little line about morals and our bad childhood, find another because this transgenic ain't interested."

Alec sighed. In so many ways Sam and Max were as identical as their appearances would have them. Both had attitude problems and both were as stubborn as each other. But Sam was marked in her cynicism. In her ruthless pragmatism. In her callous disregard for all but number one. It was a perspective of which Alec would once have been proud. Now though, now he wasn't sure he would give his new found set of (hard to live by) principles back even if he had the chance to. On a level, he admired Sam's cut throat approach to life and the people in it. On another, he was sad that even her new found family was a situation borne out of circumstance than feelings themselves.

"Look, I'm just the convenient lie. God knows he needs a new optician but the guy is hooked on Max like a crack whore on, well, coke."

"You must be losing your touch – he seemed pretty cosy on her back at the warehouse," Sam informed him uninterestedly.

Alec shrugged, running the ragged piece of cloth over the gun one last time.

"Like I said, hooked like a crack whore."

"Knowing you're jumpin' her?"

"Woah," Alec replied, backing off slightly and holding his hands and gun up.

Sam threw him a look that bordered between disgust and being completely unimpressed.

"What century are we living in? He thinks you two sit and discuss politics all day?" she wanted to know.

"Hey, don't get on my case," Alec shot back defensively.

"Disappointing. You still my CO?"

"And what? Lead by example?" he asked incredulously.

Sam paused deliberately.

"Yeah."

"Look, she's trying not to completely trample all over the guy's heart!" Alec exclaimed before glancing around and lowering his voice.

"Bullshit. You know what she's like. 452 always ran from the hard things. She couldn't do the right thing if it was difficult. She always takes second best unless her back's to the wall and she ain't got no other option."

Alec regarded her quizzically.

"Since when did you know her so well?"

"6months in Psyops being asked the same questions gets you picking things up."

Alec paused momentarily. He would never claim to ever know Ben at all. But then, his twin was a psycho and how exactly did one get into their heads? He shrugged.

"Her weakness is her strength."

Sam shot him a look.

"Ask anyone here. They might hate her for '09 but none of 'em will say anything different about her giving a damn and taking responsibility."

"Responsibility? Please, she can't even break up with a guy properly. Because leading him on is so much better."

Alec laughed.

"I forgot what a tough one you always were. Always pushing people. Always determined to see the worst in them."

Sam shrugged with a roll of her eyes.

"No surprises, remember?"

Alec nodded with a grin.

"No surprises."

With that, Sam leaned in and kissed him. Alec stood in shock, mildly aware the normal thing to do would be to either back off or kiss her back, but also aware that both could earn him a black eye. Max she might not be but Sam also hit with intent to harm rather than just admonish.

"Somebody's gotta do the right thing," she shrugged, having stepped back. Alec frowned in confusion as Sam walked away. In his peripheral vision, he caught Logan looking in their direction.

**A/N 2: This seemed too subtle when I re-read after writing and early reviews from Nuns have confirmed the fact but let me know what you thought.**


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